Internal-combustion engine



June 20, 1950 'r. 5 QUICK INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April 11,1945 2 Sh ee.ts-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Thomas A". 00/0? Arron/lens.

Patented June 20, 19 50 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL-COMBUSTIONENGINE Thomas E. Quick, Wichita, Kalil.

Application April 11, 1945, Serial No. 587,673

Claims. (Cl. 123-32) A further object of the invention is. to produceand maintain an exceptionally high degree of turbulence. agitationbetween the air and fuel particles, relative movement during ignition sothat unburned fuel particles are being constantly swept by air particlesto sweep away inert gases surrounding the particles, and assure rapid,substantially complete combustion.

' Other objects of the invention are to provide for automaticallyvarying the speed of combustion with the operating speed of an internalcombustion engine; to provide a method of effecting combustion, whichpermits more rapid injection of the fuel; to provide a short burningtime in which substantially complete combustion takes place in a mannerto prevent fire radiance and radiant heat losses; to provide agitationby effecting relative short puffs or gusts of thin, sheet-like films ofair bouncing in crisscross fashion from side to side of the combustionchamber in'diverse linear directions and at different elevationstransversely of the fuel spray: and to maintain such agitationthroughout the relatively short burning time.

A further object is to promote consumption of z stream area per unit ofcombustion chamber volume at any instant during the time combustion isdesired for the purpose of ,eifectinggreater presentation of oxygenitothe particlesof combustible fuel in the short limited time required forefficient combustion.

Another object is to prevent harmful detonation and ineflicientspontaneous combustion in the combustion chamber of an engine, andproviding instead progressive uniform high speed efficient combustion byproviding a high degree of'kinetic energy of the air in the form ofviolent agitation or numerous cross currents and pressure impulses orwaves in all parts of the combustion chamber during the time of theexistence of fuel in thechamber.

Another object is to prevent fuel particle or droplet growth oraccumulation during fuel injection into the combustion chamber byscattering of the fuel with a series of currents of air across the pathof fuel injection to sweep the particles of fuel as they slow down asidefrom the path of injection so that they will not be overtaken by thefollowing fuel.

Another object is to provide for shorter combustion time for lessradiant heat loss and higher cycle efliciency by providing violentagitation of the air, in the manner above described, at the time fuel isinjected. I

Another object is to effect rapid progressive heat release in thecombustion chamber of a direct injection engine by utilizing a pluralityof oxygen of the air in rapid combustion of hydrostreams to cause saidchanges of position, pres-' sure waves,-or impulses for maintaining highrelative motion between the oxygen of the air and the fuel, instead ofrelying on flame propagation and diffusion of highly volatile vapors of100 octane gasoline for a high rate and more complete consumption of theoxygen.

A further object of the invention is to efiect more completeconsumptionof oxygen in a direct injection engine during the mosteffective part of the working stroke by producing a large unit air widethin streams of air to provide and maintain a high relative motionbetween the air and fuel particles for greater collision, contact andchemical union of the oxygen of the air and the fuel whereby heat isreleased.

Another object is to produce violent agitation of the air in thecombustion chamber of an engine for high speed eiiicient combustion byproviding means for and causing exceedingly rapid dissipation of kineticenergy at the time fuel is injected.

In accomplishing. these and other objects of the invention, hereinafterpointed out, I have provided an improved method and structurelilrlustrated in the accompanying drawings where- Flg. 1 is a verticalsection through the cylinder and combustion or firing chamber of adirect injection engine constructed in accordance with the presentinvention and with which my improved methods of fuel'preparation andcombustion are eflected.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through the upper end of the cylinder orpiston chamber and illustrating jetting of the air charge into thecombustion chamber just prior to injection of the fuel charge andillustrating transformation of the air jets into numerous thin filmsbouncing back promote an extremely rapid and efficient burning of thefuel in a relatively short crank travel.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the flring chamber on the line4-4 of Fig. 3.

7 Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I designates an internal combustion engine of the direct injection typeand whichincludes a crankcase 2 supporting a cylinder block 3 andhousing a crankshaft l. The cylinder block has the usual piston orcylinder chamber 5 in which a piston 6 is reciprocated by means of a rod1 connected with the crankshaft I, the crankshaft being inaintained inrotation responsive to combustion of fuel charges in a combustionchamber 8 and acting on the head of the piston 6 on the downstrokethereof. The open end of the cylinder chamber is closed by a plate-likehead 9 carrying the combustion or firing chamber 8 into which the fuelis discharged in spray form .by means of an injector nozzle l0.Combustion supporting air is admitted to the cylinder chamber through acircumferential series of ports ll located in the walls of thecombustion chamber and connected with a supply manifold l2. Adjacent theports H is a circular series of exhaust ports 13 through which spentproducts of combustion are discharged from the cylinder at the end ofthe power stroke of the piston.

In operation of engines of this character, combustion supporting air isdischarged into the cylinder when the piston uncovers: the ports I I,and at the time the crank is moving across lower dead center position.As the crank moves toward upper dead center position, the piston againcloses the ports and compresses the air charge thereahead for dischargeinto the firing chamber at a pressure and temperature sufficient toeffect ignition of the fuel when the fuel is ejected through the nozzle[0.

In engines of this character constructed prior to the present invention,a certain amount of turbulence has been effected by directing the air sothat it produces a rotary swirl within the firing chamber in an attemptto effect a combustible fuel mixture. This method of producingturbulence, however, defeats and-destroys the turbulence necessary tobreak up the air and fuel charges and form a rapidly combustiblemixture.

This is readily understood when it is considered that in any fluid massunder rotation, all of the particles are forced to travel in a curvedpath and the inertia of the particles which travel the fastest forcesthem to take an outside circle and the centrifugal force serves toretain them there, while the particles traveling next in speed form asimilar circle within the inside ring of the fastest moving particles,and so on, with the slower particles taking position closer to thecenter of the swirl. Continued rotation tends to compact the mass andhold the particles from relative motion. Thus, whatever turbulence whichmay have existed when rotation began immediately smooths out into auniformly rotating and compact mass substantially without turbulence.This rotation produces centrifugal force and 4 since the injected fuelparticles are several hundred times heavier than the air particles, thefuel droplets are drawn to the outside walls of the combustion chamberand are caused to move with the swirling mass in contact with the wallof the combustion chamber.

Thus, instead of breaking up and co-mingllng the air and fuel charges,the fuel and air charges are actually separated with the result thatprevious engines are inefficient and. incapable of producing maximumpower from the fuel consumed.

Furthermore, as the outside layer or particles of fuel burns, a jacketof inert gas is formed and without relative movement it is impossiblefor oxygen to reach the inner unburned portion-of the fuel particles.This is known as fuel smother or fuel lock' and greatly retardscombustion, therefore, it is impossible to apply the desired amount ofenergy to the piston as useful power.

In overcoming the above-mentioned difficulties, I have provided apiston, cylinder head, and combustion chamber of special formation sothat theair charge compressed in the piston chamber is discharged in aplurality of high velocity jets into the combustion chamber, which jetsare caused to be deflected transversely across the combustion chamber tothe opposite side and re-deflected in all directions to intercept otherdeflected fllms of air to maintain high velocity and relative movementof particles in substantially linear direction and also prevent massrotary motion while the fuel charge is being sprayed into the combustionchamber.

In carrying out the invention, the combustion chamber 8 has an annularwall I having a base portion [5 flaring outwardly from the cylinder head9 and encircling an opening IS in the head which is preferably ofsmaller diameter than the cylinder. The flaring portion l5 of the wall I4 terminates a short distance from the cylinder head in an inwardlyextending substantially conical wall portion I! to connect with achamber H3 in which the nozzle I0 is mounted. The nozzle discharges intothe combustion chamber through an opening I9 formed at the apex 20 ofthe wall portion 11. The inner face of the wall portion I1 flares insubstantial conformity with the fuel spray discharged from the nozzle.In order to deflect and re-deflect the films of air as above mentioned,the inner face is provided with a plurality of individually deflectingportions 2| formed in the bottoms of closelyarranged recesses or pockets22. The recesses 22 are preferably sphere segments in formation and arearranged in spiral series from the base of the wall portion H to theapex thereof as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and whereby the recesses orpockets 22 are staggered relative to each other to more efficientlyscatter the deflected films of air. The inner face 23 of the wallportion l5 also has a circular series of spiral deflecting surfaces 24to deflect upwardly and transversely of the combustion chamber anydownwardly deflected films of air and particles of fuel when the fuel isdischarged into the combustion chamber.

In order to produce the high velocity jets above-mentioned,the opening.I 6 is closed by a divider plate 25 having a conical portion 26 slopingupwardly and inwardly of the combustion chamber and encircling an axialopening 21 through which gases resulting from combustion expand againstthe head of the piston and through which the air charge is initiallycompressed in the combustion chamber as later described. The rim 28 ofthe plate is seated against oombustion chamber side a shoulder, amufwi'mm the cylinder hca'd' so the rim of the'pla'te 'is'flu'sh withthe inner fa oe 'oi' the cylinder head. plate 2| may be secured to-the'shoulder by suitable fastening means as desired. The conical portion of'the plate has a plurality. of orifices 30 extending therethrough" from.the oylinder side and terc pls'tonincreasesthepressureofthis'bodyofair"substantially above the pressure of the'body of air trapped in thecombustion chamber. so that ininating m outwardly i laring outlets in onthe as best shown in Figs. land 3.

In order to eiiect diiferential'jpressurebetween the cylinder chamberand the combustion chamber, tln'rheacl'ofthe is shaped to conform withthe underface of the cylinder head and the central portion thereof has aconical projection 32 conforming to the" conical "shape of the -oriilceplate "and which .carries'at the apex thereof a stopperlilteproiectionjj which closes w'all of the combustion chamber isrelatively thin as indicatedat It to limitheateilohange between thecombustion chamberj and i gqiaeentparts of methane cylinder. The wallportion'{ ii is also sp'aoed fifom the surrounding portion of thecylinaerheaa as indicated at 35. Since a high rem- 'ljirature is to bemaintained in the combustion chamber, the nozzlechamber is preferablycon- 1nect'edwith the-combustion chamber through a relatively thin 'wallportion 3 surrounding ,the

opening It and' the nozzle chamber is surrounded by a jacket 31 through.which a cooling fluid is circulated as will be well understood by thoseskilled in the art. The combustion chamber may be provided with aconventional sparkv plug, 38 for assisting in the ignition of theme uponstarting of the engine or when the engine is operated in accordancewithnthe semi-Diesel type.

lncoperating an engine constructed as described, it is assumed thatcombustion supporting air is being delivered'to the ports ll through themanifold 12 at a desiredinitial pressure which ay.besubstantially-atmospheric or at a hik'her pressure" to suprchar'ge thecylinder when'the piston uncovers the ports H, and it is also assunsetsfuel which may be a liquid is being delivered under pressure sumcien'tto spray the fuel into the combustion chamber at the maxiniiim airpressure eifeoted therein and that the nozzle is actuated intimed'relation with the piston so as to introduce afucl charge at theproper time: for examole,'j when the piston reaches position where the'crank shaft is about me to fifteen degrees of top center. The pistoncloses the airii'ilet and exhaust it expands through the orifices intomadam.

bustion chamber in a plurality of high velocity Jets which impinge inthe pockets 2! provided in the inner face of the wall portion II and aredeilected transversely of the combustion chamber I in a plurality ofthin films of air in diverse directions transversely across thecombustion chamber to. be re-deiiected by'the'pockets in theopposite-wall to other of the pockets until the air streams are bouncingbaclr and forth in linear paths as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 until theycollide with each other and thereby producing 'high velocity pressureimpulses. At the proper interval, for example, when the crank is approximately fifteen degrees of top dead center, the nozzlejlll opens and acharge of fuel is injected in spray form into the linearly movingstreams of air to be contacted thereby and broken into small particlesand oxidized. Any fuel droplets v that may contact the wall of thecombustion chamber are immediately returned therefrom by the highvelocity streams 'of air (Fig. 3) and moved toward the center of thecombustion chamber where they are met by other streams of air andrapidly consumed in combustion. Since the air in the combustion chamberis sumciently heated through compression by the time the piston reachesthe position where the fuel nozzle opens, combustion of the fuel beginssubstantially simultaneously with the fuel injection and continues evenafter the crank passes top dead center position, at which time the fuel111-; jection ceases. However, the inertia imparted to the portions ofthe air stream and fuel maintains high velocity agitation of thepartiolesin linear paths so that the air and fuel particles areco-mlngled and the fuel particles are readilv burned.

The constant movement of the burning particles and contact thereof byother particles sweep away the inert gases and maintain contact of theburning particles with fresh particles of other air streams to effectsubstantially rapid and complete combustion of the fuel so that optimumcombustion is effected by the time the po'rts'on movement of the crankl'tow'ardupperdead center position. fihe sueharge trapped [in,fiillihder progressively compressed in the cyliiicl efr 'and combustionchamber sou that the respective bddles 01' airi-therein 9.!6substantially the same pressure." "Asthe piston approachggh pistonbegins its power stroke. .Thus, the maximum energy in the fuel isapplied through the piston as useful power.

From the foregoing it is obvious that my invention overcomes incompletefuel and air'niixture, fuel lock,'detonation and other combustion.difllcultles usually encountered in injection; type engines asheretofore constructed and operated.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A method of effecting combustion of a fuel in a combustion zoneincluding. .discharginga combustionsupportin'g'medium the combustionremain a plurality of high velocity jets in directions to avoid initialhead-on collision of said .iets. deflecting the jets into a plurality ofsubstantially thin films moving transversely across the combustionz'oii'e, introducing a fuel in ilnely divided-form across the. pathof-said films whilecombustion, and accelerating bymaintaining' repeateddeflection and collision oisaid films in d ll?! directions for sustainmscontacts with the fuel particles from different directions and atdifferentvelocities duringcombustion. 1

" 2; A method of eflecti'ns combustion'of a1,fu el 13' in a imnbustionzone i l discharging the combustion supporting medium into thecombustion zone in a plurality of high velocity jets in directions toavoid initial head-on collisioncf said jets, deflecting the jets into aplurality of substantially thin films moving transversely across thecombustion zone, introducing a fuel in finely divided, thin widespreadconical form across the path of said films while effectingcombustion, and accelerating combustion by maintaining repeateddeflection and collision of said films in diverse directions forsustaining contacts with the fuel particles from difierent directionsand at different velocities during combustion.

3. A method of effecting combustion of a fuel in a combustion zoneincluding discharging the combustion supporting medium into thecombustion zone in a plurality of high velocity jets in directions toavoid initial head-on collision of said jets, effecting rebound of thejets in a plurality of substantially thin films transversely of thecombustion zone, introducing a fuel in finely divided form across thepath of said films while maintaining combustion, accelerating combustionby causing said films to move in collision and split into a plurality ofstreams in diverse directions, and again effecting rebound of saidstreams to convert said streams into thin films and causing collision ofsaid films for maintaining contacts with the fuel particles from everchanging directions and at different velocities during combustion.

4. A method of efiecting combustion of a fuel in a combustion zoneincluding discharging the combustion supporting medium into thecombustion zone in a plurality of high velocity jets in substantiallyparallel directions to avoid initial head-on collision of said jets,eflecting rebound of the jets in a plurality of substantially thin filmstransversely of the combustion zone at substantially right angles to thedirection of the jets, introducing a fuel in finely divided form acrossthe path of said films while maintaining combustion, and acceleratingcombustion by causing said films to move in collision and split into aplurality of streams in diverse directions. and

again effecting rebound of said streams to convert said streams into tin films and causing collision of said films for maintaining contactswith the fuel particles from changing directions and at difierentvelocities during combustion.

5. The method of efiecting combustion of a fuel in the combustion zoneincluding discharging a combustion supporting medium into the combustionzone of a plurality of high velocity jets in directions to avoid initialhead-on collision of said jets, deflecting the jets into a plurality of-REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

, UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,341,478 Platt et al May 25,1920 1,560,556 Ford Nov. 10, 1925 1,696,799 Held Dec. 25, 1928 1,977,752Baj Oct. 23, 1934 2,002,482 Kimball May 21, 1935 2,002,483 Kimball May21, 1935 2,010,469 Triebnigg Aug. 6, 1935 2,076,030 Kahllenberger Apr.6, 1937 2,093,592 Triebnigg Sept. 21, 1937 2,100,143 Mock Nov. 23, 19372,113,601 Pratt Apr. 12, 1938 2,113,602 Pratt Apr. 12, 1938 2,142,280Mock Jan. 3, 1939 2,157,764 Langrognet May 9, 1939

